Capitalogix

A Different Look at Things

This video was taken at the SXSW conference.  While it seems a little silly, the video illustrates an interesting point.

 

 

via TimeSlice Films, pioneers in multi-camera array imaging.

 

Perspective is important. 

Being able to see the 'invisible' makes the 'impossible' possible

 

via Flug.

New technology seems like magic until you understand how it is done.

Here Are Some Links For Your Weekend Reading

According to the President, the new three branches of government are ... me, myself, and I.

 

 

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.

 

Lighter Links:

• The Power of Checklists. (Art of Manliness)
• The Most Thought Provoking Articles of the Year. (Brain Pickings)
• The Secret Meanings Behind 40 Brand Logos. (Marketing Land)
• The Science of Misheard Lyrics. (New Yorker)
• Why We Love Back Rubs, Chili Peppers, and the Sex from “50 Shades”. (Salon)

 

Trading Links:

• Saudi Arabia 'Engineered' Oil Crisis: Says Dallas Fed Chief. (Money)
• A Few Things To Know About Technical Analysis. (Stock Charts)
• Meet The Man Who Wants To Build The ESPN Of Finance. (HuffPost)
• A Netflix for Private Flights: A Members-Only Airline. (Fast Company)
• AT&T Dumped by Dow. Time to Buy? History suggests it's worth a look. (Markets)

9 Out Of 10 Big Pharma Companies Spent More On Marketing Than On R&D

This speaks for itself.

 

via DadaViz.

Of course, sometimes it can be said better.

MAP: Living Costs Around the World

This map shows the difference in living costs around the world using figures from the world's largest database of user contributed data about cities and countries worldwide.

The Consumer Price Index, used to determine the difference in the living costs between countries, takes into account the prices of groceries, transportation, restaurants and utilities.

 

 

There are many more charts with specific data by region.  The chart below shows the places with the highest and lowest costs of living.

 

via MoveHub.

 

The CPI in the infographic is a relative indicator of a country's living costs compared to New York. So, for instance, if a country has a CPI of 70, on average it enjoys 30% cheaper living costs compared to New York.

Here Are Some Links For Your Weekend Reading

Sometimes things are stuck.  Other times they are not.  Here is all you need to know.

 

 

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.

 

Lighter Links:

• How to Make Your Willpower Stronger -- According to Science. (Io9)
• Fear Artificial Stupidity, Not Artificial Intelligence. (New Scientist)
• Commonly Misspelled or Misused Words.  [infographic]
• 100 Ideas That Changed the Web. (BrainPickings)
• How The World Will Look In 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 Years Time. (FC)

 

Trading Links:

• Google Searches for a Way to Avoid Microsoft’s Fate. (The Guardian)
• Apple Pay Is Already Much Bigger Than You Thought. (BGR)
• 122 Things Everyone Should Know About Investing and the Economy. (Motley Fool)
• 5 Future Scenarios That Will Change How You Think About Money. (MarketWatch)
• The New Reality. China just 3D-printed an entire mansion. Here’s what it looks like. (TechInAsia)

Here Are Some Links For Your Weekend Reading

Seeming profound is easier than being profound.

 

 

Just saying ...

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.

 

Lighter Links:

• Famous Business Books Summarized in One Sentence. (Business Insider)
• Windows 10 Upgrades Will Be Free for Existing Windows Users. (Infoworld)
• Sign of the Times: Sports Illustrated Lays Off All Staff Photographers. (NPPA)
• Compilation Video of People Using Exercise Equipment Wrong. (Facebook)
• World's Saddest Service Offers Make-Believe Mate.  For $25 you get 100 text messages, 10 voice mails, one handwritten note & a lifetime of secret shame. (ValleyWag)

 

Trading Links:

• Apple Now Sells More iPhones in China than the U.S. (Cult of Mac)
• Google 'To Take On Uber with Driverless Cars'. (Telegraph)
• CME To Close Open Outcry Futures Trading Pits By This Summer. (B.I.)
• Seattle Gets a Marijuana Vending Machine. (USA Today)
• The Best Investment Advice from 20 of the World's Top Market Minds. (Forbes)

Here Are Some Links For Your Weekend Reading

Most people say they want the unpleasant truth, rather than the comforting lie ...

 

 

What do you think?

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.

 

Lighter Links:

• Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking Warn of Artificial Intelligence Dangers. (Mashable)
• An Open Letter to Everyone Tricked Into Fearing Artificial Intelligence. (Popular Science)
• 70's Rock Legends In Their Parents' Homes! [Photos]. (Peewee)
• The Hair of Men: What Hairstyle is Best for You. [infographic]
• How Exercise Changes Our DNA. (NYTimes)

 

Trading Links:

• US Debt Soared By $100 Billion on Last Day of 2014, Hit Record $18.14 Trillion. (ZH)
• Chinese Attacks Cost U.S. Defense Department Over $100M. (GigaOM)
• The Real Story Behind Saudi Arabia's Oil Games. (Money)
• After Warning About 2008, Yale's Robert Shiller Has Another Concern. (Valuewalk)
• Countries Begin The Race To Repatriate Their Gold. Are They Concerned About a Potential Financial Crisis? (Valuewalk)

Is a Leading Indicator of Economic Activity Drying-Up?

If you are looking for insight into global supply and demand trends, the Baltic Dry Index is one of the purest leading indicators of economic activity.

It offers a real-time glimpse at global raw material and infrastructure demand, as well as the supply of ships available to move this type of cargo.

 

 

The low is troubling because this Index is often interpreted as a reliable indicator of demand. The Index moved higher from 2003 to 2008. Since then, we have seen a series of lower highs and lower lows.

The only positive I see is the divergence of the momentum indicator (at the bottom), which is higher - even though price is lower. 

However, with stock markets around the world near all time highs ... and demand for bulk commodity movements at all time lows, the paradoxical position is staggering.

For commodity followers, low prices are one thing but some of that can be attributed to a soaring $USD.

The Baltic Dry Index tells us how much demand there is for movement of the commodities. It is clearly indicating global weakness and the Central Banks around the world dropping their interest rates ahead of the analysts in almost every market suggests all is not well.

There is always a way to be a little better!

I was in Phoenix for a meeting this past week. 

Usually, the highlight of a trip like that entails desert vistas.  This time, however, I had a chance to visit the stadium where the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl was held (and thanks to some friends at Infusionsoft, got to see a game there too).

 

 

It was kind of cool to watch a celebration of those just a little better than who they play against.

There is always a way to be a little better!

Annualized Returns for Major Asset Classes

Research Affiliates takes a look back at the last ten years and calculates the annualized return of a classic 60% equity / 40% fixed income portfolio versus 16 pure asset classes on their own.

 

The 60/40 portfolio generated 7.2% annual returns (nominal) from 2005 through the end of 2014, edging out 9 of the 16 asset classes in their data set and with significantly less volatility than most as well.

 

 

 

via Research Affiliates.

 

How does that compare to what you expected?

 

Click this link to to see more about this.

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